Daily Archives: March 5, 2025

Champions League Briefing: A stunning goal-line clearance, and are strikerless Arsenal better suited to the UCL?


“Jurrien Timber scored Arsenal’s first goal in three games in the 18th minute of their Champions League last-16 first-leg game away to PSV. Then Arsenal scored another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another. That’s seven if you lost count — the first time they have hit that number under Mikel Arteta. It’s a welcome break from the Premier League for the north Londoners after their recent slip-ups — and Liverpool’s incessant brilliance — have seemingly taken the league title out of their reach. Elsewhere, Tyrone Mings helped out Aston Villa with one of the most remarkable clearances ever, Rodrygo continued to prove Jude Bellingham’s ‘most gifted’ shout correct, and Kylian Mbappe’s little brother got his first full taste of Champions League football. …”
NY Times/The Athletic (Video)

Liverpool drawing PSG highlights major flaw in the revamped Champions League

“If Liverpool’s loosely-defined ‘luck’ in the Premier League is a real thing then consider the not-so-compelling narrative in the Champions League. Domestically, Arne Slot’s side have certainly benefited from Manchester City’s collapse since losing the Ballon d’Or winner, Rodri, while Arsenal have struggled amid a crippling injury crisis. The absence of key players for opposing clubs in fixtures against Liverpool — City’s Erling Haaland and Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, for example — have also been cited as proof that this was the season the stars aligned at Anfield. …”
NY Times/The Athletic

Champions League round of 16: Eight under-the-radar players to watch

“The Champions League gets serious this week as the round of 16 begins. To get to this point, 160 games have been completed — now there are just 29 left to play. But those 29 are the most consequential matches of the competition, the moments when each team’s key players must step up and perform. But who should we be keeping an eye on? The superstars, sure, but you can’t land the European Cup with stellar names alone. Who are the key figures who have been excellent in the 2024-25 season without generating as many headlines as they should have? (And yes, let’s acknowledge that if you play in probably the most prestigious club football competition in the world, you are hardly obscure.) …”
NY Times/The Athletic